Here are the four popular security settings that you should consider before you continue to surf the ‘net today:

Protect your web passwords with a master password

The password manager in your web browser takes the pain out of remembering your passwords. All popular browsers can save your log-ins for auto form-filling but it is not hard for someone who gains access to your computer to also access all your passwords. Firefox is the browser of choice for password security because you have the option to set a master password which encrypts all of your other logins. If you don’t want to use Firefox then you might consider running LastPass which allows you to add stronger authentication as well as boasting some other great security features.

Control App Access on Gmail

As a Gmail user you would have been asked if Google can share your information with third-party sites. If you ticked “yes” then Google will be sharing personal info about you such as your name, country of residence, Gmail contact names, Gmail calendar, picasa albums and even your spoken language.You can revoke these privileges easily. From the Security page within your Gmail account settings, click the "Review permissions" link next to “Connected applications and sites”. A separate tab will pop open with a list of apps that have access to your information. Revoke permissions to as many as you can.

Facebook log-in approval

Once you’ve turned on the “login approval” function Facebook will start sending you a text with a unique passcode every time someone tries to access your account from a new computer or device. Only ­you can then enter the passcode to proceed with logging-in. This is a process known as “two-step authentication” and is similar to what you would expect from internet banking where you need to enter a code from your phone before you can continue.

Twitter two-step verification

Similar to Facebook’s log-in approval, you can set up your Twitter account so it sends a 6-digit verification code to your phone every time you attempt to log-in. Tip: Just make sure you turn this feature (and the Facebook log-in approval feature) off if you go globe-trotting without roaming activated.